[Perfection]

I've been watching videos of people playing synthensizers. They seem to be able to create any sound they want on those things, even mimic other instruments. And they don't have to keep pressing a note to keep a rhythm, they just hold a note down and adjust a knob. The more I look at sythensizers, the more they look to me like instruments designed to produce any sound at minimal effort, is this true? It kind of bothers me, because I don't like the idea of an instrument that effectivly makes musical talent and other instruments obsolete. Now I realize that sythensizers haven't caused the sky to fall yet, so I'm probably just confused. Could I get an explanation please?

[Folk_guy]

A synthesizer is an electronic keyboard instrument that can either mimic another instrument, or create a sound that is new and unique to itself. Learning all of the intricacies of fine tuning sounds, etc. can be an art unto itself. There are a wide variety of instruments classified and sythesizers, some include sequencers that can be used to record background tracks or rhythms, etc. I have heard some great things done on synthisizer that I wouldn't consider cheating at all. Check out Walter/Wendy Carlos's "Switched on Bach" recording, or Deodato's recording of "Afternoon of a Fawn", or Tomita's version of "The Planets". The sythesizer is an instrument in a class all it's own, that can like other instruments take years to master. Sure it can be over used, used unartistically, and connected to a computer via midi and practically play itself, but someone had to program it to do that.

[Skeeter]

Playing a synthesizer is far more difficult than you think.

[slap_j]

The most important thing is the music. All the better if technical ability isn't a barrier.

[Perfection]

Originally Posted by Folk_guy

A synthesizer is an electronic keyboard instrument that can either mimic another instrument, or create a sound that is new and unique to itself. Learning all of the intricacies of fine tuning sounds, etc. can be an art unto itself. There are a wide variety of instruments classified and sythesizers, some include sequencers that can be used to record background tracks or rhythms, etc. I have heard some great things done on synthisizer that I wouldn't consider cheating at all. Check out Walter/Wendy Carlos's "Switched on Bach" recording, or Deodato's recording of "Afternoon of a Fawn", or Tomita's version of "The Planets". The sythesizer is an instrument in a class all it's own, that can like other instruments take years to master. Sure it can be over used, used unartistically, and connected to a computer via midi and practically play itself, but someone had to program it to do that.

Ok, I understand that it can be used legitamitly now, and I don't think there's anything wrong with having a multitude of effects at your disposal, but am I the only one who finds the idea of using it to mimic another instrument annoying? I mean, it you want a flute in your song, find a flutist. Flipping switches and pretending to be any instrument you want is just obnoxious.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by Perfection

Ok, I understand that it can be used legitamitly now, and I don't think there's anything wrong with having a multitude of effects at your disposal, but am I the only one who finds the idea of using it to mimic another instrument annoying? I mean, it you want a flute in your song, find a flutist. Flipping switches and pretending to be any instrument you want is just obnoxious.

Why is it obnoxious?

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by Perfection

Ok, I understand that it can be used legitamitly now, and I don't think there's anything wrong with having a multitude of effects at your disposal, but am I the only one who finds the idea of using it to mimic another instrument annoying? I mean, it you want a flute in your song, find a flutist. Flipping switches and pretending to be any instrument you want is just obnoxious.

I own a Pog for my guitar. I can get a disturbingly accurate church organ sound out of it. And you don't want to hear what toccata and fugue in dm sounds like with a pog and a distortion pedal. Doom is the word that comes to mind. I suck at keys, but generally, when I have played in bands I tend to play and fill the sonic space of a keyboard with my guitar.

I do not really like fake instruments as they often sound quite cheesy. What if, for example, you play a mean guitar, but can't play keys and you need a key part? would an indistinguishable sequence of guitar effects give you the same grief?

They were designed to make acoustic instruments obsolete, and they failed miserably at that.

[Perfection]

Originally Posted by Billgamesh

They were designed to make acoustic instruments obsolete, and they failed miserably at that.

Good, glad they did.

Originally Posted by thesteve

Why is it obnoxious?

Because it's unfair, even cruel for anyone to try to make all other instruments obsolete.

Imagine you're a master at guitar, violin, trumpet, ocarina, flute, and clarinet. You're frequently asked to tour with bands because you're so good at so many instruments. Then somebody made a synthensizer that can make the sound of virtully every western instrument at the same quality of those instruments. Suddendly, the only musicans are expert synthensizer players, and people who sing becuase that's the one thing syths can't do. I suppose guitarists could still stay afloat because of the "cool" factor...

Point is, I hate to see other instruments go because they're being electronically mimiced.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by Perfection

Because it's unfair, even cruel for anyone to try to make all other instruments obsolete.

Imagine you're a master at guitar, violin, trumpet, ocarina, flute, and clarinet. You're frequently asked to tour with bands because you're so good at so many instruments. Then somebody made a synthensizer that can make the sound of virtully every western instrument at the same quality of those instruments. Suddendly, the only musicans are expert synthensizer players, and people who sing becuase that's the one thing syths can't do. I suppose guitarists could still stay afloat because of the "cool" factor...

Point is, I hate to see other instruments go because they're being electronically mimiced.

I guess I just haven't seen a synth that's really capable of mimicking both the basic and advanced sounds that an expert at a given instrument can produce. Sure, a synth may have a string setting, but I haven't seen one that will do the hammer-ons, pull-offs and vibrato of an expert violinist. Maybe I just haven't met an expert synth player...

[Demon_Hunter]

DreamTheatre uses a synth if im not mistaken.

And they havnt done away with their Drummer, their Bassist, or their Guitarist. And the synth is capable of reproducing the tones of all 3 of those instruments (and their keyboardist is technical enough to be able to replace those 3 with his keys if he wanted).


A synth, just like a guitar, or bass, or drums, or organ, or piano, or vocals, is just meant to fill a sonic void that another instrument doesnt provide or to enhance the richness of the sounds being produced by adding the unique timbre of another instrument to the mix.


I dont see whats unfair or obnoxious about it.

[slap_j]

Originally Posted by thesteve

I guess I just haven't seen a synth that's really capable of mimicking both the basic and advanced sounds that an expert at a given instrument can produce. Sure, a synth may have a string setting, but I haven't seen one that will do the hammer-ons, pull-offs and vibrato of an expert violinist. Maybe I just haven't met an expert synth player...

Not to mention pizzicato. Right now synths cannot replace traditional instruments. And if they ever can...well, instruments come and go. I'm sure there will be folks who keep doing things the traditional way because of the sheer joy they feel from it.

[akaukal]

I find mimicked instruments extremely useful. I'm a really big MIDI user, and all the songs me and my band create are usually quite full of virtual instruments. None of us play the cello, but I have a good VSTi for that, so I use that if I want it.

Where else am I going to get 8-bit video game sounds?

Sequencing notes into a perfect, good sounding pattern is extremely difficult. While it may seem like a person using a synthesizer is simply "turning knobs", they're doing things that have taken quite a long time to learn. In my opinion, creating perfect sounds that blend together, sequencing the notes into a good sounding pattern, and knowing how to make the instruments sound good is just as difficult and no more "obnoxious" than learning how to play the guitar.

Honestly though, the instruments aren't THAT realistic anyways. I would never use a synth guitar or bass. I like using cello because I can make it sound realistic by using the Mod wheel to give it some vibrato in the right places. I can't play the cello, so it helps me get the sound I want.

[Folk_guy]

I don't think the sythesiser will ever be a replacement for real wind or string instruments, but when a rock or pop band wants to add, say a tympani, or string section to a song they are invaluable. It isn't always practical to hire a trumpet, or string quartet to come in and play one or two pieces with your band and leave. Synths are also great tools for arranging, and writing music. They let you hear an approximation of what your arrangement will sound like before you give it to the band or orchestra to play.

[LC7rock]

Originally Posted by Folk_guy

I don't think the sythesiser will ever be a replacement for real wind or string instruments, but when a rock or pop band wants to add, say a tympani, or string section to a song they are invaluable. It isn't always practical to hire a trumpet, or string quartet to come in and play one or two pieces with your band and leave. Synths are also great tools for arranging, and writing music. They let you hear an approximation of what your arrangement will sound like before you give it to the band or orchestra to play.

That's how I feel about it...

Yeah, in the hip hop world it's all MIDI everything, but in a more modern/rock/pop kind of thing, in the studio it's better to have real instruments there. I'm a musical instrument freak, so I'd rather play a real cello than use MIDI, but in a concert setting you don't always have one or have time or space to change from your main instrument to cello for that section.

I agree that MIDI is a good tool to find how you arrangements will sound before hand, but there are some other options such as small recording devices (that is if the instrument you want to use is within reach...) They are probably the best thing to use because sometimes the MIDI stuff doesn't pickup the dynamics of the real thing.